Fire-escape.



J. H. THORNBURG;

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 25, 1909.

Patented 061;. 12, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. H. THORNBURG.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION PI-LED JAN. 25. me.

936,385., Patented 0ct.12,19 09.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ANDREW. 2; annual on PWIO-LITDIOGRAPKERS. msumamu, a c

JOHN H. THORNIBURG, 0F KNIGHTSTOWN, INDIANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1969.

Application filed January 25, 1909. Serial No. 474,110.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. THORNBURG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Knightstown, in the county of Henry and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of which the following is aspecification.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a fire escape whichwill occupy but little space when not in use, and which will permit thegradual descent, from any floor of a building, of a person employing thedevice as a fire escape.

One of the novel features of-the device resides in the provision of anadjustable controlling means for limiting the speed of rotation of thecable drums of the device, so that the device may be adjusted forpersons of different weights, and for use at various elevations.

My invention also embodies re-winding mechanism, by means of which thecable may be quickly re-wound upon the drum of the device, so that anumber of persons may use the device, if necessary, in a short time; andthe device is so arranged that when the rewinding mechanism is beingoperated, the retarding mechanism will be thrown out of operation, sothat practically no resistance will be offered to the re-winding of thecable, the retarding mechanism being, however, instantly thrown intooperation upon the stopping of the re-winding mechanism.

Other novel features of the invention will appear in the course of thespecific description which is to follow, and in the drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a view in elevation of a fire escape embodying my invention,the construction shown in the figure being that designed for use on tallbuildings, where a number of persons might have occasion to use thedevice in a short time. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line22 Fig. 1, showing a portion of the mechanism in side elevation; Fig. 3is a detail side elevation of the fiy-wheel of the mechanism, and Fig.4: is a detail perspective view of a satchel showing the manner in whicha modified form of my invention may be arranged for use, the mechanismin this form or embodiment of the invention being single in character,whereas the mechanism illustrated in the other figures of the drawingsis double in character. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the pawl and ratchetclutch between the drum and the gear at one end thereof.

It will be understood that the mechanism embodying my invention may behoused in any suitable manner, as in a casing, or supported by a craneor track mounted upon the wall of a building, and, for this reason, themechanism itself will alone be described.

In the drawings the'shaft of the device is indicated by the numeral 5,and loosely mounted upon the shaft is a pair of winding drums 6, saiddrums being provided at each end with a hub portion 7 which has a clutchend. Normally the clutch ends of the opposing hubs of each drum are inmutual engagement, so that the drums are clutched for simultaneousrotation, and, if preferable, the cable, which is indicated by thenumeral 8, may be wound upon the drums in such manner that when one drumis unwinding, the cable of the other drum will be wound thereon. Inother words, the cables 8 are so arranged upon the drums as toalternately unwind, so that while a person is being lowered by theunwinding of one cable from a drum, the cable of the other drum is beingwound up to permit the descent of another person, it being understoodthat the cables may be independently re-wound whenever desired.

Mounted loosely upon the shaft 5 and outwardly from each drum 6 is asleeve 9, provided with an end 10 of clutch formation, which is adaptedto engage and lock with the corresponding end of the other hub of thecorresponding drum 6, and fixed upon each sleeve for rotation therewithis a flywheel 11 provided with a ratchet 12. A spool 13 is also looselymounted upon the shaft 5, which spool carries a pawl 14, which, when thespool is rotated in one direction upon the shaft, engages with theratchet 12, and provided for rotation of the fly-wheel 11, rotation ofthe spool in the opposite direction having no effect on the saidfiywheel. A cable 15 is connected with and wound upon each of the saidspools 13 and by pulling down on the cable to unwind the same from thespool, the pawl will engage, with the ratchet and the correspondingfly-wheel will be rotated.

In order to restore the mechanism to normal'position after the rope 15has been unwound from the spool, a spring 16 is on gaged upon the shaft,and is connected at one end to the corresponding spool 13, and at itsother end to a collar 17, iixed upon the adjacent end of the shaft, itbeing understood that as the cable 15 is unwound from the spool, thespring is placed under tension; upon releasing the cable, the springwill act to rotate the spool and re-wind the cable thereon. It will thusbe seen that by repeatedly pulling on the cable 15, continuous ro tationof the fly-wheel 11 will be secured, and the corresponding drum 6 willbe rotated to re-wind the cable 8 thereon.

A lever 18 pivoted adjacent each drum 6 is also pivotally connected withthe hub or sleeve 9 of the corresponding fiy-wheel, it being understoodthat each fly-wheel sleeve carries one of these .levers. The lower endof each of the levers 18 .is turned laterally at 20, and is formed withan eye, through which passes the corresponding cable 15, the cable beingprovided at its lower end with a handle 21, which is grasped for the purpose of unwinding the cable from the spool, and setting the lly-wheel 11in motion. As will appear from the drawings, when the cable 15 is beingunwound from the spool, the sleeve 9 will be clutched with the hub ofthe corresponding drum (3, but when the cable is released and is rewoundupon the spool 13, the handle 21 will strike the lower laterally turnedend of the lever 18 and will swing this lever upon its pivot 19, andwithdraw the clutch end of the sleeve 9 from engagement with the clutchend of the hub of the corresponding drum 6. To the extreme upper end ofeach of the levers 18 is connected one end of a bar or rod 22, the otherend of each of these bars 22 is connected pivotally to an arm 23, whichis pivoted at its upper end as at 24 to a bracket 25, the lower end ofthe said arm 23 being pivotally connected to the inner or opposed endsof the hubs of the winding drums (3. \Vhen the handle 21 of one of thecables 15 strikes the lower end of the corresponding lever 18 it swingssaid lever upon its pivot 19, and the upper end of the lever will movein the direction of the corresponding arm 23, and rock the said arm 23to shift the corresponding drum, and in this manner clutch the drums forsimultaneous rotation.

In order that the cables 8 may be evenly distributed upon the drums 6when wound thereon, an arm 26 is pivoted as at 27 below each of thedrums 6, and is provided at its upper end with an eye 28, through whichthe corresponding cable is threaded. This arm has pivoted to it a slide29, which works over the cam face 30 of a gear 81, said gear beingdriven from a worm 32, which meshes therewith, and which, in turn, isdriven from one head of the drum 6, it being understood that the drumheads are of gear formation. The head just mentioned is indicated by thenumeral 33, and meshes with a pinion 34 upon the worm-shaft. It will beunderstood from the foregoing that as either of the drums (3 rotatesmotion will be imparted to the corresponding gear 31 and the cam face ofthis gear will act to reciprocate the slide 29, and oscillate the arm26, feeding the eye end of the arm across the corresponding drum, andevenly distributing the cable thereon.

The means for retarding the speed of rotation of the drums in unwindingthe cables will now be described. Meshed with the other head of eachdrum is a pinion 36 upon a stub-shaft 37, and this shaft also carries agear 38, which is in mesh with a pinion 39 carried upon a shaft 40. Theshaft 40 carries a crank-disk 41, the crank-pin of the disk beingindicated by the numeral 42. This pin 42 works in a slot 43, which isformed in an arm 44 adjacent one end thereof, the arm being providedadjacent its other end with a second slot 45, through which projects apivot pin 46, carried by a supporting arm 47, which is secured at 48 toa suitable bracket or support 49. The inner end of the arm 44 is pivotedas at 50 at the middle of a piston rod 51, carrying a piston at eachend, which pistons work in a cylinder 52. It will be understood, fromthe foregoing description of this portion of the mechanism, that as thecable is being unwound from either drum, the crank disk 41 will berotated, and the arm 44 will be oscillated upon the pin 46, therebyimparting oscillatory movement to the piston rod 51. It will also beapparent that, in order to adjust the supporting arm 47 upon itssecuring means 48. so as to adjust the fulcrum 46 near to or away from.the pivot 50, the arm 47 has a pointed lower end 53, which arm is movedupon its pivot fastening 48 whereby its lower pointed end swings ormoves in the arc of a circle, the support 49 being preferably providedwith a scale 54 with the marks of which the said end of the armregisters. The rapid compression of the air in the cylinder will ofcourse retard the speed of rotation of the drums in unwinding the cable,and it will be readily understood that by adjusting the position of thefulcrum 4G in connection with the pivot 50, the stroke of the arm 44 maybe varied under different conditions, the location of the pivot 46 at adistance from the pivot 50 providing for a longer stroke of the arm 44,and more re sistance being presented to the unwinding of the cable.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a means of mounting themechanism, hereinbefore described, in a satchel or suit case. Themechanism when held in asatchel or suit case is adapted for use inlowering one person at a time from a burning building, and if but asingle drum is employed, the automatic re-wind and the clutch mechanismassociated therewith being omitted, and the crank-handle being securedat one end of the drum shaft and lying beyond one end of the satchel orsuit case whereby the cable may be rewound upon the drum. Aside from thedifferences mentioned above, this mechanism is identical with that previously described. In order that the retarding mechanism may be renderedinoperative during the time the cables are being re-wound on theirrespective drums, a dog and ratchet clutch 35 is provided for connectingthe spools (5 and the respective gears 35 for rotation in unison in onedirection and for permitting rotation of the spools in the oppositedirection independently of the said gears.

hat is claimed is 1. In a fire-escape, a shaft, a winding drum upon theshaft, a cable connected with the drum and adapted to be wound thereon,said drum being loose upon the shaft, a flywheel adapted to be clutchedwith the drum, a winding spool, pawl and ratchet connections between thespool and the fly-wheel, and a cable wound upon the spool, and a rewindspring operatively connected with the spool.

2. In a fire-escape, a drum shaft, a drum fastened upon the shaft, acable connected with the drum and wound thereon, a flywheel upon theshaft adapted to be clutched with the drum, a spool upon the shaft and apawl and ratchet connection between the spool and the fly-wheel, a cablewound upon the spool, a lever having connections with the clutch andwith the second cable, and means for re-winding the cable upon thespool.

8. In a fire escape, a shaft, drums loose upon the shaft, clutch memberscarried at the opposing ends of the drums, an inde-' pendent re-Windingmechanism for each drum, cooperating clutch members upon each drum andan element of the respectlve rewinding mechanism, and means which maydrum and the corresponding member of the re-Winding mechanism.

l. In a fireescape, a shaft, a winding drum upon the shaft, a cableconnected with the drum and adapted to be wound thereon, said drum beingloose upon the shaft, a flywheel adapted to be clutched with the drum,awinding spool, pawl and ratchet connection between the spool andfly-wheel, a cable wound upon the spool, and means engaged by the cableand controlled thereby for clutching the fly-wheel with the drum.

In a fire escape, a shaft, a pair of winding drums mounted upon theshaft and adapted to be mutually clutched, a fly-wheel mounted upon theshaft, one outwardly of each of the drums, a winding spool upon theshaft adjacent each fly-wheel, pawl and ratchet connections between thefiy-wheel and the corresponding spool, a cable upon the spool, meansacting to normally wind the cable upon the spool, means engaged by thecable and controlled thereby for clutching either fly-wheel with thecorresponding drum, and for clutching and separating the drums.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. THORNBURG.

itnesses C. F. Pnrrormnn, F. PENNINGTON.

